The invention relates to a differential drive having a drive housing with a longitudinal drive axis AG; having a drivable differential carrier which is rotatably supported in the drive housing by means of two rolling contact bearings, which comprises a longitudinal carrier axis AK and in which there are arranged and rotatably supported two axle shaft gears whose axes extend co-axially relative to the longitudinal carrier axis and in which differential carrier there is arranged a plurality of differential gears whose axes are arranged radially relative to the longitudinal carrier axis, said differential gears being held so as to rotate with said differential carrier, wherein said axle shaft gears engage the differential gears; and having constant velocity joints which are positioned inside the differential carrier and whose outer joint parts are connected in a rotationally fast way to the axle shaft gears.
Differential drives of said type are known from DE 198 54 215 A1 wherein the inner bearing races of the rolling contact bearings are mounted on the outside of sleeve projections on covers of the differential carrier, and the outer bearing races of the rolling contact bearings are mounted in bores of bearing holding rings which, in consequence, are very large and require large openings in the drive housing for being inserted into same. The bearing holding rings have been widened to form out-of-round covers.